Does your Accountant do Windows?

As business owners and managers, we outsource all the time and don't think twice about it. At Visionworks Marketing & Communications, we employ a full-time financial manager on the staff and she does a great job. However, when it comes to doing our taxes, we outsource.

Likewise, when we have legal questions, we call a lawyer. When we need printing, we call our printer. When the air conditioner gave off more heat than cold this summer, we called an expert on HVAC.

When we have a party, we call a caterer. Actually, last time I didn't. Instead I had three well-paid staff members taking time away from their other duties to plan, shop, cook and display a feast for our guests. For two days! It looked and tasted great. But when I look at our productivity during that period, I shudder. Next time, I'll pay a little bit more out of pocket to hire someone else to do it. And my crew will keep working on the jobs I'm paying them to do.

Why is it that we outsource some tasks or projects without thinking and others we stew and fret over before getting help? A rule of thumb dictates that if the task is within the core mission of your business, it is probably not a good one to send out-of-house. Conversely, if it does not fall within your core competencies, it may make sense to see if a vendor could provide the service efficiently and cost effectively.

I talk to many small businesses that are grappling with the topic of whether or not to outsource their marketing needs. Most feel they are not large enough to splurge on the luxury of having an advisor guide them in their advertising and public relations efforts. Meanwhile, I see them wasting precious dollars on choices that are not smart for their organization. My theory is the less you have to spend, the more important it is to spend it wisely.

Business owners and managers know what they hate about handling the marketing themselves. Here are some of their compaints.

"How do I know I'm choosing the right media?"

"When I start trying to do research to make good decisions, I'm inundated with too much information."

"I don't have time to take calls and meetings with every media sales representative in town."

"I don't have a good grasp of what my choices are."

"I'm not convinced I'm getting anything out of the money I spend."

"I don't know which media to credit with what little success I am having."

"Everyone tells me their product will help me the most, and I don't know who to trust."

These are all questions that can be answered by an experienced, objective marketing consultant.

The advantages of hiring an individual or firm to assist you with your marketing decisions and implementation are many. Your creative messages will likely be more consistent and cohesive if they are being produced under one roof. There is usually a significant timesavings, but even if there isn't, the time spent is almost always more focused and effective. Sometimes there are also efficiencies of scale. If the consultant or agency you select is representing other clients as well, there may be bulk printing opportunities, better media rates or cross-promotional relationships from which you can benefit. The primary advantage, in my opinion, comes from receiving objective, expert advice from someone who is not trying to sell you airtime or print space.

And how do you know the consultant you are planning to hire will really provide the objective, expert advice you are seeking? As with any individual you hire, I recommend you do your due diligence.

Start with an interview. Ask them questions. See if their responses make sense and are easy to understand. Is there a rapport? Do you feel like you could have a good working relationship with them?

Ask to see samples of past work, case studies, success stories. Read client testimonials.

Check up on them. Ask for and contact references. Visit their Web site. Google them. Check them out on casenet.com or with the Better Business Bureau.

Once you have done your homework and selected an individual or organization to assist you with your marketing decisions, invest the time and effort to make it work. The information you bring from within your business and the time you spend in interaction with this advisor are crucial to getting a return on your investment. However, if you embrace it with the right attitude, you may find that the relationship formed is one of the most valuable assets you have for building a better business.

Lili Vianello is President of Visionworks, a Columbia-based full-service marketing and communications firm offering Web design and maintenance. Contributions to this article were made by Visionworks staff members.